The Blade Runner
This was created by Reverb. Please do not copy or take credit for any concepts, coding, writing or artwork. Please do not edit this page in any way. ---- The Scorpion Den was all but quiet at night, the market was still buzzing and the crowded streets were as packed as ever. A lone OutClaw patrolled the marketplace, keeping a close eye on the half-asleep shop owners. A older SandWing waved with his wing from across the way. He waved back and started for him, yawning. Something flickered out of the corner of his eye, a shadow in an ally. He turned and stopped his route. “Hello?” He asked. There was no answer, but the shadows moved again. He flicked his tail barb and moved closer the slightly darker spot, hoping he sound of his claws wouldn’t give away his position. The ally was dark, and his sharp eyes could barely tell where the movement came from. Almost immediately a long, sharpened blade zinged through the air, nearly slicing his throat open. He growled, and moments later a large shape appeared in his peripheral vision. “Sting?” Six-claws stood behind him, a worried look on his face. Sting turned around to look him in the face. “Yeah?” He asked, but his eyes flicked to the shadows behind him. “Are you okay?” He gestured to Sting’s throat, who furrowed his brow and looked down. Blood dripped from a thin cut across his throat. He glanced at his claws and saw they were starting to collect the blood as it dripped. ”The shadow! It attacked me!” He blinked, touching the shadowed wall, then turned around. “A shadow?” He said skeptically. “You were attacked, by a shadow?” He put a wing over Sting’s back and lead him to the oasis, through the market, down the crowded streets, and past curious looks. They slipped through the entrance, adobe buildings and cloth tents blocked the precious resource from the moonlight. Two OutClaws sat on the bank, eating roasted lizards outside Thorn’s tent. From the sound of things, she was extremely worried, or maybe a little mad. Sting just nodded. Six-claws seemed to be thinking, then his eyes grew wide. ”The Blade Runner.” He muttered, not talking directly to Sting. “The what?” Sting looked up at him, then gave the entrance a suspicious look. “The Blade Runner.” Six-claws repeated. “She’s lone NightWing who wanders the desert.” He said. “She’s a deadly assassin. She works for Blister, some say she’s an even better assassin then Cobra.” Sting rubbed his neck; the bleeding had slowed, but it burned like fire. ”Yeah, right.” He snorted, sarcasm oozing in his voice. “I’m not kidding, some say she’s Cobra‘s niece.” He said. “I thought Vulture only had one daughter.” Sting said, splashing more water on his neck. “He does only have one, but you never know. Some say that Cactus is related to him.” Six-claws said. He looked down at the blood. “Speaking of Cactus, you should get her to check that out.” “Now I know your telling stories.” Cactus was probably the least likely to be related to that frog-faced blob of camel spit (except maybe Qibli). She was a healer, and a good one at that. A roar came from the white tent and Sting flinched. “Why is Thorn so mad?” He asked, standing up. “Um, I may or may not have found her daughter, then let her get taken...” Six-claws said. He hung his head, but it snapped up as light glinted off a metal blade by his throat. “Give me Sunny.” A growl came from behind him. It took Sting a moment to spot the dark shape. A black NightWing stood behind Six-claws, her claws pressing dangerously on his throat. She had what looked like a snake fang in her ear and a long blade tied to her tail tip, which was pinned to Six-claws main artery. A small trickle of crimson blood stained her claws. “Who’s Sunny?” Sting asked, half a distraction, half curiosity. Six-claws gave him a sad look, then stabbed his tail up. The NightWing reacted almost immediately. She slammed his head to the ground, pinning his tail with the blade almost simultaneously. She growled, and Six-claws attempted to throw her off, and she lost her grip, hitting the ground hard. Six-claws lunged for her and she leapt, twisted, and landed on his back. She snarled at him, digging her claws into his wings. He twitched. “Don’t want to end up like Dune, now do you?” She hissed in his ear, but loud enough for Sting to hear. Sting raced at her, tail raised and claws ready. She didn’t see the movement in her peripheral vision and he rammed her side. She went down, off of Six-claws and into the sand. Sting guess she hadn’t even none he was there. Talons thumped on the sand behind him and he turned to see the two SandWings from the bank rushing over. The Blade Runner stood up and snarled, now sorely outnumbered. “If I were you, I’d turn back before Thorn hears all this commotion.” Six-claws said, standing up and growling back. “She never did like Blister.” Her dark green eyes pierced the dark as her black scales melted into the shadows. A low growl erupted from the dark, then she was gone. Just like she’d appeared, the shadow raced past the oasis and over the walls of the Den Category:Fanfictions Category:Fanfictions (Semi-Canon) Category:Genre (Short Story)